VIDEO: Remembering the F5 Plainfield Tornado of 1990

It was August 28,1990 between 3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., a devastating tornado ripped a 16.4 mile path through portions of Kendall and Will counties in northern Illinois.

The Plainfield tornado tragically killed 29 people, while injuring 353.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETAILS AND STATISTICS FOR THE 1990 PLAINFIELD TORNADO

Not only was this tornado disastrous, it was also very unusual for several reasons:

• The Plainfield tornado was the first ever tornado greater than an F3 rating, since records began in 1950, to occur during the month of August in the state of Illinois.
• It was the second killer tornado since 1950 to occur during the month of August in Illinois.
• This tornado remains the only F5/EF5 rated tornado documented in the United States during the month of August.
• The tornado had low clouds and rain surrounding it, making it difficult to see. Because of this, no known photographs or videos of this tornado exist.
• The tornado approached from the northwest; most tornadoes approach from the southwest.

You can watch this incredible documentary put out by the Joliet Area Historical Museum as we remember that tragic day. Thankfully, warning systems have become much more advanced giving us much more time to prepare for such storms.